Leveling device



March 2, 1965 s. M. JINES 3,171,632

LEVELING DEVICE Filed June 7, 1963 S/QNEY M J/NES INVENTOR United States Patent 3,171,632 LEVELING DEVlCE Sidney M. lines, PA). Box 507, lerryton, Tex. Filed June 7, 1963, Ser. No. 286,219 (Ilaims. (Cl. 254-104) This invention relates to leveling structures and more particularly to a double wedge mechanism for leveling structures.

In the construction of many structures it is desirable that a leveling device he used between the foundation and the frame of the structure so that the frame may be leveled either at the time of construction or later. Specifically, in the construction of houses, oftentimes these are constructed on piers and it is desirable to have a leveling structure between the top of the pier and the bot tom of the girder. If wedges are used for this purpose, by adjusting the wedges, the girders may be more accurately leveled than attempting to level the top of the pier. By giving this specific example, it is not meant to limit the invention for general purpose and utility.

One of the problems in using double wedges is that being able to collapse them to a minimum thickness. I have invented wedges wherein a bolt is used to pull the two wedges together and the bolt is flattened in the middle to permit the Wedges to be collapsed to a minimum thickness. It is well known that generally bolts fail at the threads and therefore, I have found that the bolt can be flattened in the middle without substantially weakening the bolt, yet allowing the wedges to be flattened to a minimum thickness. The thickness of the bolt on the ends does not prevent this collapsing the wedges to a minimum as will be more fully explained hereafter.

An object of this invention is to provide a pair of wedges for general utility.

Another object is to provide a pair of wedges which may be flattened to a minimum thickness.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, versatile, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture and operate.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the ditferent views of which are not necessarily to the same scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of wedges according to my invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wedges shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional View of the wedges taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the Wedges taken one line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified bolt to be used with the wedges.

As may be seen in the drawing, the mechanism according to thi invention includes top wedge and bottom wedge 12. The top wedge has an end face 14 which is at right angles to top face 16. The wedge 10 is triangular in longitudinal section and contact face 18 is at a small angle to the top face 16. Likewise, the bottom wedge 12 has an end face 20 which is at right angles to bottom face 22 and a contact face 24. The contact face 24 forms the same angle with the bottom face 22 as the contact face 18 forms with top face 16. Therefore, when the wedges 1t? and 12 are assembled as shown in the drawing, the bottom face 22 will be parallel to the top face 16. Both of these will be plane surfaces so that they may slide readily on the surface of the material which is to be adjusted in different distances one from the other.

3,171,632? Patented Mar. 2, 1965 Bolt 25 extends from one endface 14 to the other end face 29 to draw the wedges together to cause a corresponding movement of the top face 16 away from the bottom face 22 as is well known in the wedge art. The bolt 26 has a square head 28 which fits within open notch 30 of rectangular cross section in the end face 14. Thus, the bolt 26 is restrained from rotation by the square head 28 and the notch 30. Aperture 32 extends lengthwise of the top wedge 10 parallel to the top face 16 thereof. The height of the aperture 32 is greater than its width permitting movement of the bolt 26 vertically to adjust as the Wedges are closer together or farther apart. Likewise the bottom wedge 12 has aperture 34 extending lengthwise of it. This aperture 34 likewise has a height greater than its width to permit vertical movement of the bolt 26. Nut 36 is screwed on the threaded end 40 of the bolt 26 and bears against end face 20 through washer 38. 1

Between the head 28 and the threads 46, the bolt 26 is flattened at 42, i.e. the thickness of the bolt from top to bottom is less between the threads than the diameter of the bolt at the threads 40. Therefore, when the wedges 10 and 12 are fully extended for their minimum thickness, they will collapse to a minimum in thickness. They will collapse more than if the bolt were not flattened at 42. The bolt 26 is sufiiciently flexible to allow the wedges to collapse against the flattened area 42.

An examination of FIG. 4 will reveal that as the wedges 10 and 12 are drawn completely together that they will not be drawn completely together at the termination of the threads 40. If greater movement between the top surface 16 and bottom surface 22 is desired, the nut 36 and washer 38 may be removed from the bolt 26 and a sleeve (not illustrated) may be telescoped around the bolt 26 to provide additional movement when the nut 36 is again tightened around the bolt 26. If when the nut 36 is again brought to the terminal end of the threads 40 and more movement of surface 16 away from surface 22 is desired, the nut 36 and washer 38 may be removed again and another tube telescoped onto the bolt 26.

FIG. 5 illustrates bolt 48 which is flattened at 42 from the head 28 throughout its length. (Le. the threads 40 of the bolt 48 are formed on both of the sides only, and not on the top and bottom of the bolt.) It may be seen that the use of the bolt 48 will eliminate the needs for the tubes to be telescoped around the bolt as discussed.

Runners 44 are formed on the contact face 18 of the top wedge 10. These runners run lengthwise of the contact face 18. V-notches 46 of correlative cross section are formed in the contact face 24 of the bottom wedge 12. These runners 44 and notches 46 form means to maintain the wedges in proper relationship in use. Also the V-notches 46 in the contact face 24 form natural channels for lubricant if the operator desires to lubricate the contact faces 24 and 18 of the wedges.

In the operation of these wedges, the nut 36 may be tightened with a torque indicating wrench (not shown). If several of the units are being used, one on top of each pierto level the girders of a building, the same pressure may be applied to each girder by applying the same torque to the nut 36.

Thus, it may be seen that I have provided a pair of Wedges which have general utility and which may be easily installed in areas of a minimum thickness.

One of the modifications of the device as described which will readily come to mind is that the top Wedge 10 and bottom wedge 12 could be formed of plate material rather than of solid metal. In such case, the general cross section would be of channel shape rather than solid as shown in the drawings, the center of the channel forming the length of the aperture.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction, materials, and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A leveling mechanism comprising in combination:

(a) a top wedge having (b) a top face,

() an end face, and

(d) a contact face;

(e) a bottom wedge having (9) a bottom face,

(g) an end face, and

(h) a contact face contacting the contact face of the top wedge;

(i) a bolt extending from the end face of the top Wedge to the end face of the bottom wedge,

(j) the bolt flattened in the middle; and

(k) means interconnecting the bolt and one of said wedges for preventing the bolt from rotating, so that the flattened portion of the bolt is always properly oriented to the wedges.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the addition of: t

(l) runners on the contact face of the top Wedge, and

(m) correlative notches ion the contact face of the bottom wedge.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the means interconnecting the bolt and one of the Wedges includes:

(l) a notch of rectangular cross section in the end face of said wedge, and

(m) a head on one end of the bolt in the notch.

4. The inventionas defined in claim 1 wherein:

(I) each Wedge has an aperture from the end face lengthwise therethrough,

(m) said bolt extending through the apertures, and

(n) said apertures larger than the crossscction of the bolt so that the bolt may move radially in the apertures.

5. A leveling mechanism comprising in combination:

(a) atop wedge having (b) a top face,

(c) an end face,

(d) a contact face, and

(e) an aperture extending lengthwise of the wedge from the end face,

(i) said end face having a notch of rectangular cross section therein;

(g) a bottom wedge having (h) a bottom face,

(i) an end face,

(j) a contact face contacting the contact face of the top wedge, and

(-k) an aperture extending lengthwise of the wedge from the end face;

(I) a bolt extending from the end face of the top Wedge to the end face of the bottom wedge,

(m) a head on one end of the bolt,

(n) said head in the square notch in the end face of the top wedge,

(0) said bolt extending through said apertures,

(p) said apertures being larger than the bolt so that the bolt may move radially within the apertures;

(q) runners on the contact face of the top wedge;

(r) notches on the contact face of the bottom wedge correlative to the runners on the contact face of the top Wedge;

(s) threads on one end of the bolt;

(t) a nut threaded onto the bolt contacting the end face of the bottom wedge; and

(u) said bolt flattened between the head and the threaded end portion so that the wedges may col lapse to a minimum distance between the top face of the top wedge and the bottom face of the bottom wedge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,984 12 /12 King 254-104 2,170,690 8/39 Mafera 254-1o4 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. MILTON S MEHR, Examiner, 

1. A LEVELING MECHANISM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A TOP WEDGE HAVING (B) A TOP FACE, (C) AN END FACE, AND (D) A CONTACT FACE, (E) A BOTTOM WEDGE HAVING (F) A BOTTOM FACE, (G) AN END FACE, AND (H) A CONTACT FACE CONTACTING THE CONTACT FACE OF THE TOP WEDGE; (I) A BOLT EXTENDING FROM THE END FACE OF THE TOP WEDGE TO THE END FACE OF THE BOTTOM WEDGE, (J) THE BOLT FLATTENED IN THE MIDDLE; AND (K) MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE BOLT FROM ROTATING WEDGES FOR PREVENTING THE BOLT FROM ROTATING, SO THAT THE FLATTENED PORTION OF THE BOLT IS ALWAYS PROPERLY ORIENTED TO THE WEDGES. 